Welcome to the 206th insertion of DEMUR®, an analytical series highlighting the intricacies of the artistic world and the minutiae lying within. In this episode, we study fashion’s origin, contemplating clothing’s societal expectations and primitive uses.
In today’s day and age, a vast majority of citizens live in a society where it’s deemed entirely taboo to remain uncovered. “No shoes, no shirt, no service” is not only a policy but an expectation for the general public to maintain unconsciously. Bearing the risk of being arrested, fined, or thrown in jail for simply living in one’s own skin, we’ve somehow completely detached from the action and idea of being naked.
Day after day, 51% of the population wakes up in an undergarment or pyjama of sorts, only to put on more clothes as a necessary qualification to start their morning. From work to the gym, dinner and more, we remain concealed, only revealing our true selves in the shower, to engage in sex, or for many, during sleep. While obscure, this premise has been widely accepted by most of the world and is even found at the heart of impoverished, war-torn, and suffering nations - but why?
Despite a simple appearance, this question withholds a wide range of answers, most of which root in a trope of protection. At first, clothing was adopted by pre-historic homo sapiens in an effort to shield against infections, harsh weather conditions and injuries. Lacking fur, we, like hermit crabs and caddisfly larvae, were forced to find external sources of defence, and hopefully limit our chances of vulnerability.
Yet, as we evolved through time as apex predators, humans would soon form societies and generate a mass consensus of regulated beliefs and ideals. Having become accustomed to daily wear, our perceptions of clothing would shift, leaving many to opt for expression as opposed to function.
Leading us to contemporary times, where jeans are pre-distressed and shoes often prioritize style over comfort, we live among an absence of threat, leaning harder than ever towards aesthetics and attraction. Shameful of our silhouettes, we hide beneath layers of cloth, as we distance ourselves from instinctual thinking.
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